Ship of Fools: Bowing in processions?

Thread: Bowing in processions? Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by macasher (# 14748) on :

Should the choir reverence the altar (and sacrament reserved behind it) with a bow in pairs before moving to their places (making for a slow, start-stop procession), or should they simply turn, go to the choir stalls, and then all in the procession reverence the altar together (from their places) when the presider arrives in front of the altar and bows deeply?

Posted by Olaf (# 11804) on :

It all seems to fall on local practice, and sometimes even the church's interior design. Are you looking for an answer from a specific tradition (e.g. Extraordinary Form Catholic) or more of a loose discussion?

Edited to add: Welcome! It's an interesting question, and I certainly await the replies.

[ 23. October 2013, 01:30: Message edited by: Olaf ]

Posted by NatDogg (# 14347) on :

I agree, it depends on the architecture. For my style, I think it looks better when the entire party does it together once everyone has gotten into their places -- a very nice corporate act to open worship.

Posted by Intrepid Thurifer (# 77) on :

One should genuflect if the blessed sacrament is reserved on or behind the altar!

Posted by macasher (# 14748) on :

Thanks: that's helpful. We're talking a middle of the road Episcopal Church in a modern building.

While we're at it, what about the exit? Local tradition is for the blessing to precede the final hymn with the servers, choir and clergy recessing during the final hymn and the dismissal from the back. I think I would prefer final hymn, blessing, dismissal and exit during the organ postlude.

Posted by PaulBC (# 13712) on :

I am senior server/crucifer and in my church we process after the blessing & parish announcements .And yes to the recessional hymn. I was only given 1 piece of advise on doing this . Get the choir moving
better they stand at the back for a verse or 2 than come up the nave in silence. Most of the time it works .

Posted by The Silent Acolyte (# 1158) on :

If you've got a slow, stop-start procession as a result of bowing reverences before each pair splits to enter the choir, then the pairs in the procession are walking bunched up, too close to the pair in front and behind. And, the procession may be paced too quickly.

That said, at Our Lady of Hardwork, the choir genuflects with the sacred ministers upon the arrival and genuflection of the sacred ministers in the sanctuary. They make no reverence before they enter their stalls.

Ours is a relatively short, Gothic chancel, so this looks just fine. I guess our practice would not translate well to a long chancel, where sanctuary and choir are really distinct rooms. And, where choir party and sanctuary party are more distinct.

[ 23. October 2013, 04:18: Message edited by: The Silent Acolyte ]

Posted by Oblatus (# 6278) on :

This is determined locally, as evidenced by the fact that the matter figures prominently in instructions to visiting choirs published by U.K. cathedrals. I'm guessing most have the choir get to their places first without reverencing the altar on the way in.

What's funny to me is monastic communities where members bow to the altar and then to each other, and then some do this funny little backward series of small steps to get out of the way before turning around to complete their journey to their places.

Posted by Lietuvos Sv. Kazimieras (# 11274) on :

I think what is done at All Saints Margaret Street works well and looks pleasing: the choir come out prior to the entrance of the clergy and servers; they line up at the altar rail and genuflect together once they are all there, and then proceed to their places in quire.

Posted by dj_ordinaire (# 4643) on :

I don't mind genuflection and often do it myself... but I think hen it is done in a synchronised manner - such as the aforementioned ASMS crew - I find it a teeny bit daft... Sorry, but there it is!

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :

IIIRC, the last MW of ASMS noted that the genuflections were synchronised as if they were a new Olympic sport.

Our choir gallery is at the W end, with the organ. The choir process from the narthex and reverence the altar by bowing as each pair reaches the foot of chancel steps, turn right, and then proceed along the south aisle to climb to their gallery.

[ 23. October 2013, 20:16: Message edited by: Gee D ]

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

I have sung in several choirs, some of which do one option in the OP and some which do the other. It doesn't really bother me, because both are preferable to the church which asked us to wander in informally as if we weren't really there!

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